Rival SL vs. WTB Laser V Stealth

I am buying an 06 Epic. I am getting a credit for the Body Geometry saddle so I can mount my Laser V Stealth. Why it is the most comfortable saddle I have sat on, I don't know. I do know I have had 4 others during the last 14 years and I have never been more comfortable. Another plus is that if you ever bend a rail, WTB will fix & ship for $25.00. Of course it is all individual comfort, and I have never sat on the Rival. After getting the WTB I am not looking anymore. My $/02.

I've ridden the Specialized BG2 and the Avatar and now I'm using WTB Rocket V. I think the WTB is the one more confortable for me. I think it's one of sizing thing. But I would also love to try a Rival on a trail (I've demoe'd a Stumpy with one and I really licked the Rival, but can't say how they compare).

I think it was the Rival that came on my Stumpy. I absolutely hated it. A steel block would have been more comfortable. I purchased a Speed V Team. Liked it but then purchased a Rocket V Team. Rival was sold with previous bike and the Speed V was returned to Performance.

I'm building a 05 S-Works FSR. Just want some input on which seat is more comfortable and why. Thanks

I think it's purely a personal thing. And I haven't tried WTB.

That said, i've got an 05 Rival and 06 Rival, both in the 'ti' rails version... They're both the best saddles I've ever had! I have a slight preference for the feel of the 05 Rival (the 06 is about the same weight, but feels a little more bulky between the legs, and there's a slight WTB-ish turn upward at the back end. But the 06 has no cloth accents -- it looks better, a little 'tougher').

Again, they work for me -- ride 'em both. And if you want "cushy," forget the Rival. It's firm but it just works.

They're both really good saddles.

Within the past 18 months I have gone from the WTB Rocket V team on my bikes to my new favorite, the Rival. First it was the Yeti that got a Rival, then my Turner got a Rival, and then a couple of months ago I bought a new Specialized Rival saddle for $2600 and whaddya know! They threw in a free Stumpy FSR Expert!

Arguing about saddles is like arguing politics and religion. That said, there is nothing wrong with the WTB saddles and their awesome "Love Channel", and yes WTB is great at warranty work. They replaced two of mine due to shoddy stitching. I had to pay shipping one way and that was it.

I have a wtb Pure V and a rival sl
the rival is slightly stiffer and the cover is all leather, the wtb has kevlar side pieces
I bent a rail on the wtb, not enough to bother sending it back.
The rival comes in 2 widths, the Pure 1 width
the Pure is 150 mm wide, rival 140mm & 130, the other wtb saddle are 130 to 135 I believe
it depends on how wide your sit bones are, specialized dealers have a device to measure the width you'll need. I like a wider seat and the PureV is very comfortable BUT its too wide for me and too soft (making it harder to slip off the back when you want to)
so, if you need a narrower saddle the wtb might do it for you, I've had the sst98, race and the PureV but I have to give the edge to the rival sl